INGLEWOOD (CNS) - The Los Angeles Chargers were held to 253 yards, their second-lowest total of the season, in a 27-20 loss to the Minnesota Vikings today at SoFi Stadium, their third loss in four games after a 4-1 start. Â
``There were drops today that I didn't like,'' said coach Brandon Staley, whose team was held to 208 yards in a 34-6 loss to the Baltimore Ravens Oct. 17. ``There were some untimely protection issues that I didn't like. There were some times where a play that is designed to go for a bunch, that should go for a bunch, doesn't.''Â Â
The Chargers had only two plays of more than 20 yards. Minnesota had five. Â
The Chargers led once, 17-13, after Justin Herbert's 2-yard touchdown pass to Austin Ekeler on the opening drive of the second half. Â
The Vikings (4-5) took control of the game with touchdowns on back-to- back drives in the second half. Â
The Chargers appeared to have stopped Minnesota stopped when Kirk Cousins' pass on third-and-10 fell incomplete, but cornerback Chris Harris Jr. was called for an 11-yard pass interference penalty that gave the Vikings a first down on the Chargers' 25-yard line. Â
Cousins completed a 19-yard pass to Adam Thielen on the next play, giving Minnesota a first-and-goal from the Chargers' 6-yard line. On fourth-and- goal, Cousins threw a 1-yard touchdown pass to tight end Tyler Conklin. Â
After forcing the Chargers to punt after three plays, the Vikings drove 68 yards on 12 plays with Dalvin Cook running 1 yard for a touchdown with nine minutes, 29 seconds to play to increase Minnesota's lead to 27-17. Â
The Chargers drove to the Vikings' 6-yard line on the ensuing drive but Staley opted to have Dustin Hopkins kick a 24-yard field goal with 4:36 remaining instead of trying to convert on a fourth-and-2 play. Â
While acknowledging he thought about going for the first down, Staley said, ``With time being on our side, I felt like we could get a possession back and we would be able to go down there and score a touchdown.''Â Â
Minnesota ran out the final 4:36, including converting on third-and-6 and fourth-and-2 plays. Â
The Chargers were outgained 381 yards to 253, trailed 24-20 in first downs and 36:15-23:45 in time of possession in front of a crowd announced at 70,240. Â
``We lost the time possession today because of the way that we played on offense, not because of the way that we played on defense,'' Staley said. Â
The Chargers were forced to punt after three plays twice in the first half and once in the second half and had another second-half drive end after five plays. Â
Herbert completed 20 of 34 passes for 195 yards and one touchdown with one interception for a 72.5 passer rating on a scale from 0 to 158.3. A rating over 100 is considered superior. He was sacked twice. Â
``I felt like, at times, he was playing with really good rhythm and timing,'' Staley said. ``You saw a lot of confidence and a team was tough to stop. Then, I felt like there were other times where we just didn't play with really good rhythm or timing. I feel like that's where we can improve.''Â Â
Cousins completed 25 of 37 passes for 294 yards and two touchdowns for a 109.5 passer rating. He was also sacked twice. Â
Following a scoreless first quarter, the Vikings opened the scoring on Greg Joseph's 46-yard field goal 48 seconds into the second quarter. Hopkins kicked a 46-yard field on the next possession. Â
Minnesota scored on each of its next two possessions to take a 13-3 lead. Joseph kicked a 30-yard field goal. Cousins threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to Conklin six plays after linebacker Eric Kendricks, a UCLA alumnus, intercepted a pass by Herbert at the Chargers' 31-yard line on the first play of the drive. Â
Larry Rountree III ran 1 yard for a touchdown for the Chargers 1:30 before halftime. The Chargers drove 75 yards on eight plays, plus a 28-yard pass interference penalty and a 5-yard illegal use of the hands penalty. Â
Herbert completed three of four passes for 20 yards and ran for a 17- yard gain on the drive. Â
``We're fighting to kind of find that rhythm and timing,'' Staley said after his team dropped into a tie for second in the AFC West with the Las Vegas Raiders (5-4), one game behind the Kansas City Chiefs (6-4). Â
``It's not there yet. We're just not there yet. I think that our record is reflective of that. In all three phases, we're trying to find it. Our guys are playing hard, but our execution needs to improve.''